V. Nisticò, Italy

Università degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute

Presenter of 3 Presentations

e-Poster Presentations (ID 1106) AS11. Eating Disorders

EPP0604 - The effect of eight Yoga sessions on Interoceptive Accuracy, Confidence and Awareness in a sample of patients with Eating Disorder: a preliminary study

Session Name
e-Poster Presentations (ID 1106)
Date
Sun, 11.04.2021
Session Time
07:30 - 23:59
Room
e-Poster Gallery
Lecture Time
07:30 - 07:30
Presenter

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Previous research from our group showed that, after a single yoga class, Interoceptive Accuracy (IAc), tested through the Heartbeat Counting Task, improved in a group of Healthy Controls (HC), but not in a group of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN).

Objectives

To evaluate three levels of interoception (accuracy, confidence (IC) and awareness (IAw)) before and after eight sessions of Yoga in a sample of patients with Eating Disorders (ED: AN, Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED)).

Methods

15 patients with ED were included. Before the first yoga session (T0) and 72 hours after the last session (T1), participants underwent: (i) the Heartbeat Counting Task for the evaluation of IAc, IC and IAw; (ii) a psychometric assessment evaluating depression, anxiety, body awareness, alexithymia, self-objectification and eating disorders symptomatology.

Results

At T1, ED patients’ IAc appeared higher than at T0, but not IC and IAw. A trend towards significance (p = 0.055) emerged for the interaction effect between IAc and diagnosis, with BED patients having a higher increase of IAc at T1 than AN and BN patients. Significant correlations between IAc and Alexithymia, Anxiety and Depression emerged at T0, but were not maintained at T1.

Conclusions

After a program of eight Yoga sessions, IAc in ED patients (but not IC and IAw) increases, especially in BED patients. Moreover, the improvement of IAc following the yoga course seems to be unrelated to the course of depressive, anxious and alexithymic symptoms of ED patients.

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e-Poster Presentations (ID 1106) AS49. Women, Gender and Mental Health

EPP1459 - Abnormal sensory sensitivity during pregnancy, peri-partum and post-partum in mothers with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: a preliminary study.

Session Name
e-Poster Presentations (ID 1106)
Date
Sun, 11.04.2021
Session Time
07:30 - 23:59
Room
e-Poster Gallery
Lecture Time
07:30 - 07:30
Presenter

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder without intellectual disabilities (High Functioning ASD, HF-ASD) present atypical sensory sensitivity, due to the hyper-reactivity to sensory inputs.

Objectives

To retrospectively evaluate the sensory sensitivity in a sample of mothers with HF-ASD during pregnancy (pre-partum), delivery and childbirth (peri-partum) and during the three months after delivery (post-partum).

Methods

19 HF-ASD and 13 neurotypical (NT) mothers were asked to complete an ad-hoc questionnaire designed for the study, named Maternity Questionnaire, assessing sensory perception during pre-, peri- and post-partum. Moreover, they underwent the following assessment: the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Empathy Quotient (EQ), the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R), the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPSD), the Sensory Perception Quotient (SPQ) and the Post Partum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ).

Results

At the Maternity Questionnaire, HF-ASD mothers showed higher sensitivity scores than NT mothers overall. Moreover, HF-ASD mothers presented lower sensitivity during the peri-partum, compared to pre- and post- partum periods, while NT mothers showed a linear decrease from pre- to post- partum. The two groups significantly differed at the AQ, the EQ, the RAADS-R, the SPQ and Factor 3 of the PBQ. Sensitivity during pre- and post-partum positively correlated with EPDS scores.

Conclusions

Mothers with HFA tend to experience pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum period differently from neurotypical mothers, particularly in terms of hypersensitivity, although during the peri-partum the hypersensitivity decreases. Further studies investigating these aspects might give fundamental hints to provide proper help to HF-ASD mothers during pregnancy and motherhood overall.

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Oral Communications (ID 1110) AS07. COVID-19 and related topics

O059 - The psychological impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures among a sample of Italian patients with Eating Disorders: a longitudinal study.

Date
Sat, 10.04.2021
Session Time
07:00 - 21:00
Room
On Demand
Lecture Time
16:00 - 16:12
Presenter

ABSTRACT

Introduction

COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown greatly impact on mental health, especially on individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions.

Objectives

To explore the prevalence of specific psychiatric symptoms across a sample of patients with Eating Disorder (ED), compared to a group of healthy controls (HC), during the lockdown period in Italy, and to assess whether patients’ symptoms improved, persisted or worsened with the easing of the lockdown measures.

Methods

Study 1: 59 ED patients and 43 HC were recruited and completed, at the beginning of May 2020(t0), an online survey including: the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – 21 items (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and few ad-hoc questions extracted from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q).

Study 2: 40 ED patients from Study 1 completed the same survey two months after t0 (t1).

Results

Study 1: ED patients scored significantly higher than HC at the DASS-21 (Total Score and subscales), the IES-R (Total Score and subscales) and the PSS. Moreover, they showed higher distress specifically related to food and their body.

Study 2: at t1, levels of stress, anxiety and depression were not different than at t0, but symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) improved, together with patients’ reported level of psychological wellbeing and specific ED symptomatology.

Conclusions

During lockdown, ED patients presented significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD-related symptoms, and ED-related symptoms than HC. With the easing of lockdown, PTSD-related and ED-related symptoms ameliorated, but high levels of stress, anxiety and depression persisted.

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